Radioactivity of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil in Northwest part of Turkey: assessment of radiological impacts

The surface soil samples were collected from Northwest Turkey. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were measured using an HPGe gamma-spectroscopy system. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the soils were found to be in the range of 11.78 ± 1.12–43.89 ± 14.94, 3.19 ± 2.01–88.22 ± 0.92, 362.81 ± 5.94–829.27 ± 12.38 Bq kg−1 d.w., respectively. The Surfer program was used to obtain 3-dimensional maps of the specific activities. Radium Equivalent Activity (Raeq), Absorbed Gamma Dose Rate (D), Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (AEDE), The Excess Life Time Cancer Risk (ELCR), External (H ex) and Internal (H in) Hazard Indexes, Annual Gonadal Dose Equivalent (AGDE), and Activity Utilization Index (AUI) were calculated and compared with the recommended values. Pearson’s correlation analysis (PCA) and factor analysis (FA) were utilized to analyze the data and indicate between the radiological parameters. The analysis showed that the total radiation was mainly caused by 226Ra and 232Th.